Are Latin American countries forming a pro-Palestinian bloc?

People take part in a demonstration against Israel鈥檚 military offensive in the Gaza Strip in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on October 22, 2023. (AFP)
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  • In quick succession, Bolivia has severed ties with Israel; Chile, Colombia and Honduras have recalled their ambassadors
  • Argentina and Mexico have expressed condemnation of Israeli military action in Gaza and the deaths of Palestinian civilians

SAO PAULO, Brazil: With the intensification of the war in Gaza, analysts in Latin America have told Arab News that a regional pro-Palestinian bloc may be starting to emerge, which would be an unprecedented development.

The process was triggered on Oct. 31 when Bolivia announced that it would sever diplomatic relations with Israel because of its attacks on Gaza.

Palestinian-born Sheikh Isa Amer Quevedo, a political scientist who leads an Islamic center in the Bolivian city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, told Arab News that the government鈥檚 decision was received with great joy by Muslims in the country.

鈥淲hen countries commit crimes against humanity, they must be pressured. Those indiscriminate strikes must stop,鈥� Amer said, celebrating the fact that Bolivia is sending 73 tons of food to Gazans and expressing hope that other nations will follow suit.

Shortly after Bolivia鈥檚 announcement, both the Chilean and Colombian presidents recalled their ambassadors to Israel for consultations.

On his X account on Oct. 31, Chile鈥檚 President Gabriel Boric cited Israel鈥檚 鈥渦nacceptable violations of humanitarian international law鈥� in Gaza.

鈥淐hile energetically condemns and sees with great concern that such military operations 鈥� which at this point (are) collective punishment of the civilian Palestinian population in Gaza 鈥� do not respect fundamental norms of international law, as the more than 8,000 civilian victims, most of them women and children, demonstrate.鈥�

Chile has the world鈥檚 largest Palestinian population outside the Middle East, with as many as 600,000 people. It is a well-organized and influential community.

But Prof. Pablo Alvarez Cabello, an expert in Middle Eastern-Latin American relations at Diego Portales University in Santiago, told Arab News that Chile will most probably not cut ties because 鈥渋ts relations with Israel and the US are very important.鈥�

In an interview after meeting with US President Joe Biden at the White House, Boric said he expressed to him his concern about developments in Gaza, and affirmed that Israel鈥檚 response to the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas has been disproportionate.

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  • Chile has the world鈥檚 largest Palestinian population outside the Middle East, with as many as 600,000 people.

Similarly, a Colombian government statement on Oct. 31 said Bogota 鈥渆xpresses its strongest rejection of the actions of the Israeli security forces in Gaza in areas densely populated by civilians.鈥�

Since Oct. 7, President Gustavo Petro has posted dozens of comments on X strongly criticizing Israel鈥檚 Gaza assault. At one point, he even compared Israel to the Nazis.

Israel subsequently suspended exports of military equipment to Colombia, but Petro said he is ready to sever relations with Tel Aviv if needed.

Palestinian-born Ali Nofal, a community leader in Colombia, told Arab News: 鈥淲e received President Petro鈥檚 measures with great joy. For decades, the Colombian right wing strengthened ties with Israel and served its interests. Now we have a dramatic change.鈥�

He added: 鈥淭here鈥檚 a general shift in the way people see the Palestinian issue. That鈥檚 why more and more Latin American countries have been manifesting a more balanced view now.鈥�




People demonstrate in support of Palestinians in Cali, Colombia, on October 19, 2023. (AFP)

Indeed, on Nov. 1 Argentina and Mexico criticized Israel鈥檚 bombing of the Jabalya refugee camp and other locations in Gaza, something that is seen as an important step for countries that have been close to Israel.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a kind of trend among the progressive administrations in the region,鈥� Argentinian-born Rafael Masry, president of the Palestinian Confederation of Latin America and the Caribbean 鈥� known by the Spanish acronym COPLAC 鈥� told Arab News. 鈥淎t this moment, we can say the countries that should鈥檝e expressed a pro-Palestinian attitude have done so.鈥�

He said Argentina鈥檚 Nov. 1 statement criticizing Israel has 鈥済igantic significance鈥� given the South American country鈥檚 strong Zionist lobby and large Jewish community.

鈥淥f course, the government鈥檚 actions can still evolve. There are economic pressures that can be applied,鈥� Masry added.




Palestinians check the destruction in the aftermath of an Israeli strike the previous night in the Jabalya camp for Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip, on November 1, 2023. (AFP)

On Nov. 3, Jewish leaders in Argentina met with President Alberto Fernandez and handed him a petition with more than 58,000 signatures, demanding that the government do all it can to release hostages of Argentinian origin held by Hamas (estimated at more than 20).

On the same day, Honduras announced that it would recall its ambassador to Israel for consultations.

Honduran Foreign Minister Eduardo Enrique Reina cited 鈥渢he serious humanitarian situation affecting the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip.鈥�

In an interview with Honduran newspaper La Prensa, Vice Foreign Minister Antonio Garcia said the decision is part of a set of potential diplomatic actions, and reflects the government鈥檚 鈥渃oncerns over the indiscriminate killing of the Palestinian civilian population.鈥�

The Foreign Ministry described the indiscriminate killing as 鈥済enocide鈥� in a statement, but the term was later removed.




Members of the Honduran Committee in Solidarity with the Palestinian People hold a vigil in front of the US embassy in Tegucigalpa on August 7, 2014. (AFP)

Masry said Brazil is the most important nation in the region, and if President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva could assume a more critical stance on Israel, more countries would be drawn to this emerging pro-Palestinian bloc.

鈥淟ula has been giving interviews about Israel鈥檚 actions and has been critical of them. Maybe under the pressure of Chile, Colombia and so on, he will decide to join the bloc,鈥� Masry added.

Brazilian-born Emir Mourad, COPLAC鈥檚 secretary-general, told Arab News that Lula has played a relevant role in trying to pass UN Security Council resolutions that include the need for an immediate ceasefire (the US vetoed one of them), but that Brazil can do more.

鈥淭here are many diplomatic instruments that can be used, beginning with recalling the ambassador for consultations and concluding the process by severing relations,鈥� Mourad said, adding that Lula was the first Latin American leader to recognize Palestine鈥檚 statehood in 2010, and this led many other nations to do the same.

鈥淧robably something similar would happen this time too,鈥� Mourad said.




Demonstrators take part in a rally in support for the Palestinian people in front of the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, on October 9, 2023. (AFP)

But some analysts are pessimistic about Lula鈥檚 handling of the situation. 鈥淚t鈥檚 becoming more and more embarrassing for Lula that important Latin American nations are manifesting support for Palestine and he isn鈥檛,鈥� historian Tufy Kairuz, an expert in relations between Brazil and the Arab world, told Arab News, adding that Lula 鈥渘ow seems to be avoiding following other leaders.鈥�




Brazil鈥檚 President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Ramallah in 2010. (AFP)

Kairuz said it is 鈥渄isturbing鈥� that Brazil continues to import Israeli military equipment and technology under Lula鈥檚 administration.

However, Alvarez said Lula seems to be assuming the role of a 鈥渘on-aligned leader,鈥� and may head a group of countries seeking a diplomatic shift on the Palestinian issue, which 鈥渃ould lead to more pressure at the UN and a more balanced distribution of power.鈥�